♥︎Spicy Moroccan carrots

For ➍-➏
500 g carrots

marinade:

juice of ½ lemon (2 tbs)

3 large garlic cloves

¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

¼ cup fresh coriander, finely chopped

4 tb olive oil

1 ts honey

1 ts sweet paprika

½ ts hot paprika

½ ts ground cumin

½ ts salt

Peel carrots. Cut into 1.5cm slices. Cover with hot salted water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15m. Drain and steam.

Crush garlic with salt to a paste. Thoroughly mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl.

Add warm carrots to marinade. Toss gently to coat

Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 h, stirring occasionally.

♥︎Tajine with cod & sweet potato

For ➋ 

 500 g skinless cod fillet 

2 onions, in half rings 

1 sweet potato, cubed 

15 cl fish stock 

15 cl passata 

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 

½ red pepper, in strips 

½ orange pepper, in strips 

1 red chili pepper 

1 tin of chickpeas 

olive oil 

 marinade: 

1 handful of coriander, finely chopped 

1 handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 

1 tsp baharat (Arabic spice mix) 

1 dash of olive oil 

½ preserved lemon, finely chopped peel 

Put the coriander, parsley, baharat, olive oil and preserved lemon in a bowl.  Stir everything well. Marinate the cod fillets in the oil for a while. Or put them together in the fridge for 30 m. 

Put some olive oil in the tajine and fry the onion in it. Add the sweet potato cubes and season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with the fish stock and the passata. Put the lid on the tajine and let it cook for 10-15 m. After 5 m, add the pepper strips. 

Then add the garlic, the chili pepper and the pieces of fish, together with the marinade (optional). Let it cook covered for the rest (depending on the thickness of the fish, 15-20 m). 

Pat the chickpeas dry between two pieces of kitchen paper. Put a pan on the stove and heat a dash of olive oil in it. Fry the chickpeas with, if desired, some more coriander, mint and baharat. Put the chickpeas in a jar and serve with the tagine on the table.

Couscous sebha godaar (7 vegetables' couscous)

For ➍

500 g couscous

1 kg lamb (preferably with bones)* 

2 big onions 

1 tomato 

½ ts saffron 

a handful of coriander 

olive oil 

1.5 l vegetable broth 

200 g turnips 

200 g young carrots 

100 g peas 

1 zucchini 

¼ cauliflower 

100 g cooked chickpeas 

a dash of butter 

a few mint leaves

 

Heat the oil and brown the meat. Add the ringed onions. Cover.

Peel the tomato, cut into chunks and, as soon as the onions are glazed, add to the mixture.

Add some of the broth, add the coriander and saffron. Bring to a boil and cook the meat*. (For 500 g, this will take 10-15 m for the meat to heat, and another 10 m to cook).

Meanwhile, chop the vegetables in large chunks and add to the mixture, firm vegetables first.

Steam the couscous on top of the meat and vegetables. When ready, remove the couscous and mix some butter through it.

Serve the couscous on a large plate. Put the meat in the middle, and decorate with some of the vegetables, some sauce and a few leaves of mint of fresh coriander. Serve the vegetables and sauce separately.

*You might prefer to roast the meat separately, with some onions, until done and add it to the vegetables and sauce a few m before serving. While not authentic, it preserves the taste and the structure of the meat very well. Nevertheless, there should be onions to start the vegetables' and sauce preparation.

'Couscous' got its name from the Berber 'k'seksu'. It became the dish we know today in North Africa, with some regional differences in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The latter was adopted by French colonialists and introduced in France as staple food. This recipe can claim to be authentically Moroccan, and refers to the magic power of the number 7. It can be made with 7 other vegetables that taste well together. Couscous can be served with other Moroccan food like Moroccan chicken and Moroccan spiced fish, or even with wokked tilapia. Read more couscous recipes. Read a tip on cooking dried chickpeas.

Chicken* tajine & quinces

For ➍

1 kg chicken in pieces*

2 quinces

2 yellow or white onions

2 tbs sunflower oil

for the charmoula marinade:

2 tbs olive oil

1 ts turmeric powder

1 ts ginger powder

½ ts cumin powder

¼ ts cardamom powder

½ ts pepper

1 ts paprika powder

1½ ts salt zest of ½ preserved lemon

juice of ½ preserved lemon

pinch of saffron, toasted

1 tbs chopped parsley

1 tbs chopped coriander

5 cl of water

Make the charmoula: chop the zest of your pickled lemon very finely. Squeeze out the pulp with your hands. Saffron threads are crushed into small pieces. Mix with the other herbs, spices and olive oil in a bowl. Heat your tajine** until hot.

Cut onions in half and then into slices. Cut quinces into 6-8 wedges. Pour the sunflower oil into your tajine****. Add the onion slices and make sure they are evenly distributed over the tajine.

Then divide the quince wedges over it. Sprinkle the rest of the charmoula over the tajine with a spoon.

Put the tajine** on a low heat. Let it stew for at least 1 h.

Check after 30 m whether there is still enough moisture in the tajine, as the onions release moisture. If necessary, add a little water.

Serve the tajine warm and traditionally with bread.***

*Cook the recipe with pieces of rabbit. You might to adjust the cooking time.

**For those who don't have a tajine: you can follow the steps above in a sturdy casserole.

Or bake in the oven:: bake the chicken golden brown in a pan and then mix it with half of the charmoula. Take a casserole and place half of your onions in it, then place the chicken, the rest of your onions, the quinces, the rest of your charmoula and the water. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30-45 m.

***Or serve with couscous, rice, bulgur or other grains. In the latter case  pay close attention to the moisture level, you will probably have to add the entire 5 cl of water or even more.

Tajine of chicken, carrots & cumin

For ➍
600 g chicken fillet, cut into 4 cm cubes
250 g carrots, cut into sticks
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tbs olive oil
1 tbs salt
1 tbs ground cumin
½ ts ground black pepper
½ ts cinnamon powder
½ ts ground coriander
¼ ts ground nutmeg
1 glass water
2 tbs chopped flat parsley
2 tbs finely chopped fresh coriander
¼ ts ground cumin

Put the oil, onion, garlic, herbs and salt in a tajine dish (if necessary replace with ordinary or cast iron frying pan with a well-closing lid).
Place the container on medium heat.
Add the cubed chicken, carrots and 2 tbs of water after a few m.
Put the lid on the pot or pan and simmer for 30 m on a low heat. Check now and then if there is enough cooking liquid. If not, add a little water.
Finish when the chicken and carrots are cooked, with leaves of flat parsley, coriander and cumin.

Roast chicken with dates, olives & capers

For ➍
8 chicken legs, drumstick & thigh attached, skin on (2 kg net)
5 garlic cloves, crushed
15 g fresh oregano, torn, plus extra for garnish
3 tbs red wine vinegar
3 tbs olive oil
100 g green olives, pitted
60 g capers, plus 2 tbs of their juices
70 g Medjoul dates, pitted & quartered lengthways
2 bay leaves
12 cl dry white wine
1 tbs date syrup or treacle
salt & black pepper

Place the chicken in a large, non-reactive bowl and add all of the ingredients, apart from the wine and date molasses, along with ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Spread out the chicken legs on a large baking tray, along with all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the wine and molasses and pour over the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 50 m (or up to 70 m, depending on the meat pieces' size), basting 2 or 3 times, until the meat is golden brown on top and cooked through.
Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large platter, sprinkle over some freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.

This Ottolenghi favourite was inspired by the 1980's recipe for Chicken Marbella, a popular dish on Jewish pass over meals. Created in NYC, it blended influences from North Africa and Spain, as well as the mixing of poultry and fruit from Persia and the Middle East.

Moroccan chicken

For ➍
1 tbs olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tbs chicken broth
salt & pepper
100 g cooked or canned chickpeas
1 tbs honey
50 g golden raisins
50 g toasted almonds
2 ts cinnamon
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled & seeded

Heat the oil. Brown the chicken breasts on both sides.
Add cinnamon, tomatoes, broth and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 20 m.
Add chickpeas and honey and simmer for an additional 5 m.
Top with toasted almonds.
Serve over rice or couscous.

Read tip on cooking chickpeas.

Couscous & veal shank

For ➍
1 kg veal shank
500 g couscous
1 large sweet onion
150 g chickpeas, soaked or canned
1 butternut squash
2 carrots
1 zucchini
1 l chicken stock
1.5 cinnamon stick
1 tbs ginger powder or ras-el-hanout
1 ts turmeric (or a few strands of saffron)
2 tbs butter or good smen

Cut the rind of the shank pieces to avoid curling.
Peel the onions and chop coarsely. Sauté them in a dash of olive oil at the bottom of the couscoussière or large casserole. Add the veal shank and 1 tbs of butter. Allow to simmer without browning.
Sprinkle the couscous in a large bowl and add a pinch of salt. Pour 1 tbs of olive oil over the couscous and mix the grains well together so they do not stick together.
Add the lukewarm water until the grains are well wet, but not dripping. Allow 5 to 7 m to dry. Rub  the couscous loose between the hands so that the grains are detached from each other. Or make couscous according to instructions on the box *.
Season the meat with the cinnamon stick, saffron, ginger powder, pepper and salt. Deglaze the veal shanks with the stock and simmer for 10 m.
Cut the carrots in pieces of 5 cm. Add the carrots. Peel the butternut squash and cut into pieces of 5 by 5 cm. Add the pumpkin. Add the chickpeas (if canned or jar, add 10 m before the end of cooking). Simmer again for 10 m. Add zucchini.
Full cooking time: ± 1h (possibly slightly shorter for the vegetables).
[Meanwhile steam the couscous. Put the grains in the steam basket of the couscousière and place on top of the pot with the meat. Let stand until the couscous is visible through the steam of the dish.
Remove the couscous from the steamer and sprinkle lightly with water. Rub the couscous loose again in the hands. Repeat this process two more times.]
Before serving, add 1 tbs of butter to the couscous.
Serve the couscous in a large bowl with the meat on top. Dress the chickpeas, onion and butternut and vegetables around the veal shanks and pour over a few spoonfuls of the sauce.

Tajine de poulet aux olives et pommes de terre (Moroccan chicken stew with olives & potatoes)

For ➏
1 large chicken
1 kg new potatoes, peeled & cut into pieces
4 medium onions
1 box of 400 gr of green olives (canned)
1 bunch fresh coriander
1 bunch of parsley
1 preserved lemon
cubes chicken stock
ras-el-hanout, saffron, salt & pepper
olive oil

Cut chicken into 8-10 pieces, remove the skin and fat.
Slice the onions, make lightly in a little olive oil in a casserole. Chop the coriander and parsley, add the onions. Mix well.
Brown the chicken pieces in the mixture, salt and pepper.
Crumble the bouillon cubes in the pan, cover with boiling water to cover. Add 2 ts ras-el-hanout and a pinch of saffron.
Simmer for 20 m, then add olives and preserved lemon cut into quarters. Adjust the seasoning.
Continue cooking 20 m, and add the potatoes.
Cook for 20 m more.
Serve with flat bread.

Couscous salad

For ➍
250 g couscous*
4 vine-ripened tomatoes
half a cucumber
1 bunch spring onions, sliced
40 g s fresh parsley
grated zest of a lemon
6 tbs olive oil
2 tbs lemon juice
1 crushed garlic clove

Put the couscous into a large bowl. Pour over the boiling water or stock and stir. Cover with a plate or cling film and leave to stand for 5 m until all the liquid has been absorbed. Separate the grains by roughing them up with a fork.
Finely dice the vine-ripened tomatoes and the cucumber. Slice the spring onions and finely chop the parsley, then add everything to the couscous with the grated zest of a lemon.
Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and the garlic with plenty of seasoning and drizzle over the couscous. Toss well and serve with some grilled fish, meat or chicken.

*For 2 servings of couscous, you'll need about 125 g couscous and 15 cl of water or stock. For 4 servings, the quantities are 250 g couscous and 30 cl water or stock. For 6, you'll need 350 g couscous and 50 cl water or stock.

Shakshuka with kale & goat cheese

For ➍
6 cl olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 heaping cup chopped kale*
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 ts ground cumin
1 ts chipotle powder (or dried red pepper)
900 g can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
sea salt to taste
4 eggs
50 g goat cheese, crumbled
1 tbs parsley, chopped
1 tbs basil, chopped

Heat oil in a 20 cm cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chopped onions, kale and garlic and stir until soft. Add cumin, chipotle powder and stir for another m. Add tomatoes and their liquid to the skillet. Reduce heat, simmer for 15 m. Add a little water, if necessary: the mixture should have a sauce-like consistency.
When the tomato mixture has thickened slightly, stir in a dash of salt.
[Move to small individual skillets].
Make a little hole in the sauce with a wooden spoon and crack egg into the cleavage, repeating three more times with the remaining eggs across the surface of the sauce**. Cover the skillet(s) and cook for 4–5 ms, depending on how runny you like your yolks.*** Remove from heat and finish with goat cheese and herbs.
Serve with buttered toast.

*use broccoli or cavalo nero instead. 
**or mix the eggs through the mixture instead of poaching the eggs.
***or cook the eggs longer on very low fire for 10-12 m. When in doubt about the freshness, or to avoid salmonella risk, cook on low fire for 20 m.

Shakshouka means 'mixture' in Arabic slang. [3] It is likely that it was first known as chakchouka, a Berber word meaning a vegetable ragout. It is a staple of Egyptian, Tunisian, Libyan, Algerian and Moroccan cuisines traditionally served up in a cast iron pan with bread to mop up the sauce. It is also popular in Israel, where it was introduced by Tunisian Jews.
Tunisian cooks added artichoke hearts, potatoes and broad beans to the dish. According to some food historians, the dish was invented in the Ottoman Empire, spreading throughout the Middle East and Spain, where it is often served with spicy sausage. Another belief is that it hails from Yemen, where it is served with zhug, a hot green paste. Some versions include salty cheeses.
It is similar to the Turkish dish menemen, and the Mexican breakfast dish huevos rancheros. In Turkish cuisine, there is also şakşuka, which is more like a ratatouille. Shakshouka is also similar to Spanish pisto manchego, a traditional La Mancha dish from southeast Spain, usually also accompanied by a fried egg.
This fusion version is built around healthy kale (or borecole, derived from the Dutch 'boerenkool'), of the same cabbage range as broccoli.

Falafel balls

For ➍
1 jar (400 g) chickpeas [or 400 g dried chickpeas]
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tabs of fresh parsley, chopped
1 ts coriander
1 ts cumin
2 tbs flour
salt & pepper
oil for frying
yogurt sauce

[Place dried chickpeas in a bowl, covering with cold water. Allow to soak overnight.]
Drain chickpeas, and place in pan with fresh water, and bring to a boil.
Allow to boil for 5 m, then let simmer on low for about 1 h.
Drain and allow to cool for 15 m.
Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) in medium bowl. Add flour.
Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together. You can also combine ingredients in a food processor. You want the result to be a thick paste.
Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly flatten.
Fry in 5 cm of oil until golden brown (5-7 m).
Serve hot with with hummus and tahini as an appetizer with hummus and tahini. As a main course. stuff pita bread with falafel, lettuce, tomatoes, tahini, salt and pepper. Or use a yogurt sauce.

♥︎Moroccan fennel & orange salad

for ➋
1 large fennel bulb, sliced​​, stem too
2 oranges, sliced
bunch radishes, sliced​​
a few mint leaves
seeds of 1 pomegranate
dressing:
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs orange juice
1 tbs orange blossom water
1 ts powdered sugar
1 ts ground cinnamon
some chopped mint leaves

Lay sliced ​​fennel in a circle at the edge of a large scale, put the slices of orange like roof tiles on fennel. Put the slices of radish and the mint leaves to the middle. Finally sprinkle the pomegranate seeds in the middle and along the outer edge.
Mix all other ingredients for the dressing. Sprinkle over the salad.
Put in the refrigerator for 30 m before serving.

Moroccan prawns

For ➋
250 g raw tiger prawns in their shells
2 tbs olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ ts ground cumin
¼ ts ground ginger
½ ts paprika
¼ ts cayenne pepper
a bunch of coriander, finely chopped
salt
lemon wedges

Remove the shells, legs, heads and entrails from the prawns. Cut along the backs with the point of a sharp knife and remove the dark thread.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the garlic and cook until it becomes aromatic. Stir in the cumin, ginger, paprika and cayenne pepper, heat for about 30 s, then add the prawns.

Fry quickly, stirring, until they turn pink. Stir in the coriander and season with salt, heat for about 30 s.

Dip the prawns into a steady cup with the cooking juices.

Egyptian tomato salad

For ➍
1 shallot, peeled
1 clove garlic, peeled
3-4 tbs olive oil
salt & pepper
5 medium-sized vine tomatoes (approx. 750g altogether)
good squeeze of lemon juice
sea salt
1 tbs freshly chopped chervil

Chop the shallot and garlic finely (or just blitz to a pulp in a processor). Put in a small bowl with the oil, a pinch of salt and a grinding of pepper, and leave to steep.

Meanwhile, blanch the tomatoes. Put them in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over them so that they are hotly submerged. Leave for 5 m then tip into a colander and run under cold water.

Using a sharp knife, peel off the skins. Cut into slices (0.5 cm)

Arrange the tomatoes in a dish and pour over the dressing. Mix well. Let rest for a few h.

When ready to eat, turn them to coat, squeeze over some lemon juice, and sprinkle with sea salt and 1 tbs of freshly chopped chervil.

Serve at room temperature.

Couscous tfaia (chicken couscous with red onion marmalade)

For ➍
tfaia
500 g couscous
1 complete chicken, cut in pieces
1 large tomato
½ ts white pepper
½ ts ginger
¼ ts cinnamon powder
1 small bush coriander
olive oil
pepper & salt
1 l chicken broth

Braise the chicken in olive oil. Add pepper, ginger and cinnamon. Add pepper & salt, the bush of coriander and the chopped tomato.

Add chicken broth, cover and simmer until chicken is done.

Meanwhile, prepare the couscous.

Serve the chicken, in a large scale, on top of the couscous and cover the chicken entirely with tfaia.

Tfaia (Moroccan red onion marmalade)

For ➍
1 kg sweet red Spanish onions, cut finely
3 cinnamon sticks
pepper & salt
20 cl honey
olive oil
a few threads of saffron
½ kg soaked dried raisins*

Heat olive oil in a large pan, add onions. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer until onions are reduced and soft.

Add cinnamon, saffron, raisins, pepper & salt. Cover and simmer for about 45 m.

Add honey, pepper & salt.

Serve with chicken or lamb couscous.

*Use 2 skinned and chopped peaches instead.

This red onion marmalade was developed in Moorish Spain and exported to North Africa.

Salata Magribira (Moroccan cold salad)

For ➍
2 cucumbers
5 tomatoes
a handful of fresh coriander
1 lemon
1 tbs thyme
½ ts salt
½ ts pepper
3 tbs soy oil or soft olive oil

Split the cucumbers in half, remove seeds, and cube.

Peel the tomatoes and chop them.

Chop the coriander leaves and mix with the cucumbers and tomatoes.

Add the lemon juice, coriander, thyme and oil. Put in the fridge until ice-cold.

Serve with lukewarm bread.

This very refreshing salad has all the ingredients of a Spanish gazpacho, without being a soup.
Serve it as such, or with a slice of cold meat or chicken.

Moroccan spiced fish

For ➍
4 fillets of firm white fish, 150 g each
8 small firm tomatoes
1 clove garlic, crushed
50 g almonds
Moroccan spice blend
8 leaves basil, shredded
olive oil
salt & fresh pepper
1 l salted water
4 sheets of baking paper or aluminium foil

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Brown almonds. Crush them.

Boil 1 l of salted water. Drop tomatoes in for 30 s. Cool under streaming cold water. Remove peels, seeds and juice.

Cube tomato meat. Add salt and pepper, 1 tbs olive oil, crushed garlic.

Brush some oil on both sides of the fish fillets. Add some salt and pepper.

On each sheet, put 3 tbs of tomato mix, a fish fillet, 2 pinches of spice blend, almonds and ½ tbs of oil.

Close the parcels.

Put in oven for 15 m.

Serve with couscous. Add some fresh herbs, like shredded parsley.

'Ras al hanut', 'spices of the master', consists of ginger, roses, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, pepper grains, and cubeb pepper. Each brand has its own specific blend.

Mehmer (Jewish omelet)

For ➏
8-10 eggs*
500 g potatoes*
250 g canned peas & carrots*/or 3 fresh carrots & a handful of peas
chopped parsley
salt & pepper
3 tbs of olive oil

Boil the peeled potatoes then mash coarsely. Add the peas and carrots, salt and pepper and chopped parsley. Add the eggs 1 at a time and mix in with a spoon. Rub oil on a large spring form pan well. Heat over medium heat. Pour the mixture into the the pan and bake at 190°C for 45 m or until the omelet is golden. Allow to cool a bit before serving.**

*Less when serving 4.
**Can be baked in a pan on fire-top for 30 m, turned over for 15 m more.

A classic of the Jewish Moroccan kitchen, it is also made, slightly differently, in Spain as tortilla.
Read more Jewish recipes: lamb meatballs with eggplant sauce.